SALE SUMMARY
2017 2016
Offered 120 100
Sold 120 100
Top $10,500 $10,600
Av $2911 $2481
SPIRITED bidding at the Greenfields Merino and Poll Merino ram sale on Monday pushed prices to a top of $10,500 and helped achieve a record sale average of $2911 – a $430 increase on last year.
The historic Old Bungaree woolshed at Booborowie was the new venue for the Sullivan family’s ram sale and set the scene as the total lineup of 120 Merino and Poll Merino sires were bought by a large crowd of buyers from SA, NSW and Vic.
Prices reached a top of $10,500 in the Poll Merino selection, while a top of $10,000 was reached in the Merinos.
Long-time supporters of the Greenfields stud, Anthony, Debbie and Bradley Burge, Yarrah Nominees, Ceduna, bought the top priced Poll Merino ram.
It weighed 117 kilograms with figures of 20.2 micron, 3.2 standard deviation, 16.1 coefficient of variation, 98.7 per cent comfort factor, a 133pc greasy fleece weight when tested in April, and an eye muscle depth of 39 millimetres.
Greenfields stud principal James Sullivan said the young ram had created a lot of interest as it is sired by Greenfields KP444, which goes back to the Charinga Pearler family, renowned for rich, nourished wools and long staple length.
The Burge family also paid the top in the Merino portion of the sale, taking home a son of Greenfields 3.1 – supreme champion at the 2015 Royal Adelaide Show.
The 111kg ram featured August fleece measurements of 23.1M, 3.5SD, 15.2CV, 97.5CF and 130GFW.
Anthony Burge said the young sires would be mated to a carefully-selected ewe flock on their home farm Oinmoor at Ceduna, to breed rams for their station, Siam, in the Gawler Ranges.
“We have been using Greenfields genetics for more than 30 years,” Mr Burge said.
“They are suited to our conditions and are big-bodied rams with free-growing, nicely crimped wools.
“I am happy to buy the better-quality rams as I think they give you improved production and returns.”
Yarrah Nominees ended the day with eight Poll Merino and Merino rams, averaging $6618.
Greenfields also offered and sold an additional 48 rams in a mini-auction with the Poll Merino rams achieving a top of $4000, averaging $1217, while the Merinos sold to $1500, averaging $905.
Regular buyer Hill River Station, Clare, took home six rams from the annual sale, paying to a top of $7750 for a 108-kilogram Merino ram sired by J&FS 218 with August fleece measurements of 22.7 micron, 3.5 standard deviation, 15.1 coefficient of variation, 98.4 per cent comfort factor and eye muscle depth of 38 millimetres.
Operating through Rodwells, Horsham, Vic, Non Sibi Holdings secured five rams, averaging $4600, and paying to a top of $8000 for a 117kg Poll Merino ram.
DL&JK Dutschke, Karoonda, took home nine rams to $3400, averaging $2655 while Kilroy Pastoral Co, Cummins, bought eight rams in the main auction, averaging $2125.
South Gum Creek Partnership, Burra, secured six rams to $2200 and also bought two Merino rams in the mini auction for $1500 each. GG Cant & Sons, Cleve, paid an average of $1700 for seven rams.
Kanyaka Props, Hawker, bought 12 Merino rams, averaging $1342, while Fowlers Gap station, Broken Hill, NSW, took three rams, paying to $7600 for a son of VP SYN. G&A Turner, Grasmere Station, Broken Hill, NSW, bought four rams, averaging $1600, and 11 rams from the mini auction to $1500.
A selection of stud ewes sold before the ram sale, attracting plenty of interest, with a top of $355 paid by LA&SK Saegenschnitter, Eudunda, for 16 rising two-year-old stud Poll Merino ewes. Non Sibi Holdings secured three pens of cast-for-age Poll Merinos, paying to $230 for a draft of 25.
Greenfields stud principal Robert Sullivan was pleased with the sale result, particularly the increase in the average price and the solid bidding throughout the sale.
Elders and Landmark were joint selling agents, with Tony Wetherall and Leo Redden sharing the auctioneering duties.